Table extension



Sept. 29, M42.

D. H. CHASQN I TABLE EXTENSION Filed March 11, 1941 grwe/wbo'n DanielH @n Patented Sept. 29, 1942 "UFEETED STT-ES PTEN'E' TABLE EXTENSION Application March 11, 1941, Serial No. 382,713

6 Claims.

This invention relates to table extensions and more particularly to means for supporting a detachable extension and attaching it to a main table.

It is an object of this invention to provide a simple, inexpensive, light-weight, and rigid table extension, and to provide an improved connection between the main table and the extension whereby the extension may be quickly, conveniently, firmly and safely attached to the main table.

It is another object of the invention to provide a folding portable extension for a sewing table which may be readily attached thereto to afford additional working area for lay-out and cutting operations and which, when not required, may be readily detached and stored as a compact separate unit.

With the above and other objects in View as will hereinafter appear, the invention comprises the devices, combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter set forth and illustrated in the accompanying drawing of certain specific embodiments of the invention, from which the several features of the invention and the advantages attained thereby will be readily understood by those skilled in the art.

In the accompanying drawing, Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a main table having attached thereto a table extension embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary enlarged vertical sectional view taken on the line 2-2, Fig. 1, showing a preferred connecting means between the main table and the table extension.

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of the table extension showing the legs in folded position, and showing adjacent thereto, a portion of the underside of the main table to illustrate a manner in which the two may be edge-aligned.

Fig. 4 is an under-side perspective view of a part of the table extension showing a portion of the improved means for connecting the extension to the main table.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, Fig. l portrays a table extension I embodying the invention, detachably secured at one edge 2 to a main table 3.

The main table 3 may be of the well-known folding card-table type having, in the embodiment shown, a covered opening 4 for receiving a portable sewing machine, and comprising a rectangular frame formed by tubular metal rail members 5 having welded, mitered corner-joints, and an inserted top 5 secured to said frame with the upper surface of said top extending above and located inwardly from the rail members 5, as shownmore particularly in Fig. 2. Foldable legs I, hinged to corner-brackets 8 of the rail frame, are readily folded perimetrically to form with the frame and top, a compact structure adapted to be carried and stored when not in use.

The table extension 1 is preferably formed with a top 9, rectangular in shape and of an area substantially the same as that of the main table top 6. Secured to the under-side of the top 9 by hinge-brackets ill, at adjacent corners, are foldable legs I! which fold diagonally inwardly to lie, when collapsed, fiat against the under-side of the extension top with their free ends nearly touching on the centerline thereof, as is seen best in Fig. 3. In this folded and detached condition, the table extension affords a light-weight compact unit which may be conveniently carried and easily stored. To the edge 2, opposite the edge adjacent which the legs II are mounted, is secured a coupling means for detachably and firmly securing the table extension l to the main table 3. Secured to the under side of the remaining three edges, are angle strips [2 which reinforce said edges and stiffen the top 9, thus adding strength and rigidity without adding undue Weight.

The coupling means shown in Fig. 2 comprises a metallic bracket-strip 13 secured to the under side of edge 2 of the table extension l by a series of screws [4, shown best in Fig. 4. Secured to the upwardly offset and projecting edge of the bracket-strip 13 by spotor projection-welds I5 is the thin flat metal strip i6 positioned to abut the edge 2 of said extension table-top 9 and to extend flush with the top surface thereof to form a projecting lip member which is adapted to overlie the rail 5 of the main table 3 and to form, with the table-top 5, a co-planar edge-toedge contacting joint. This projecting lip member carries on its under side a thin covering ll of felt or other suitable material to prevent the metal rail -5, which it engages in overlying relation, from being scratched and marred by such repeated engagements.

Preferably but not necessarily a plurality of hook members it are provided and spaced apart along the under side of the edge 2. The hook members are preferably each formed with a shank portion !9 which lies flat against the under side of bracket i3. Each hook member is secured to the extension top 9 by means of a single bolt 20 with cooperating nut 2i and lockwasher 22. A hole 23 through the extension top 9 for receiving the bolt 20 contains a counter-bored portion 23 for receiving the bolt-head 24 slightly below the surface of the extension top whereby to maintain an unbroken Working area thereon. The inner end of the shank portion I9 of each hook member l8 terminates in an up-turned portion 25 which engages a notch 26 in the edge of the bracket-strip 13, whereby to prevent said hook member from being turned out of proper alignment by twisting about said single bolt fastening. From the shank portion IS, the hook member l8 depends downwardly and outwardly from the edge 2 and terminates in an upturned portion 21 which is adapted to engage behind the main table rail 5 as clearly shown in Fig. 2.

It is to be understood that the maximum distance included between the top and the bottom of the main table rail 5 is somewhat greater than the distance normally included between the under side of the overlying strip l6 and the upper side of the outwardly-extending portion of the hook member it. Therefore said lip and hook members must yield relatively to clampingly embrace the rail, thus providing opposed resilient clamping means or jaws therefor comprising an extension-table connector. An important advantage is thus secured, due to the fact that the main table need not be modified in any way, either permanently or temporarily, to be engaged by said clamping means, said means being carried by and operated from the table extension exclusively.

In the position shown in Fig. 2, the table extension and the main table are secured at the joint against relative movement in all directions so long as the top surfaces thereof remain in coplanar relation, as provided normally by the full extension of the legs II to operative position.

To most conveniently attach the table extension to the main table, said extension is grasped by the operator at the leg-end, and the opposite end is raised by tilting the top thereof to allow the outwardly-extending portion of the hook member l8 to engage under the lower edge of the main table rail 5 with the up-turned portion 21 thereof behind said rail, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2; then, the table extension is swung upwardly about the rail 5 as a hinge until the top surface 9 of the extension is in co-planar relation with the main table top 6, as shown in full in Fig. 2. In this position the legs H are extended and locked to stand at right angles with the extension top 9, thus readily producing substantially a doubling of the top working area. Throughout the manipulation just described, it is to be noted that the operator naturally remains at the leg-end of the table extension, which places him out of normal reach of the coupling or clampin joint edges, thereby obviating the hazard of pinching his fingers therebetween.

The attaching operation is facilitated by the small number of the interengaging parts, there being none which requires critical alignment, whereby engagement is readily secured With a minimum of time and effort.

To further facilitate the guiding of the table extension I into lateral edge-alignment with the main table 3, the hook members 3 are spaced apart, as shown in Fig. 3, to just conveniently pass between the inner edges of the legs I when the hook members I8 are properly presented in aligned position beneath the main table rail 5. By such means the operator may quickly ascertain when the extension and the main table are in proper relative position to be joined with the lateral edges in alignment.

From the foregoing it will be perceived that I have provided an improved portable folding table extension which is simple, inexpensive, lightweight and rigid, and an improved connecting means therefor whereby, when required, the table extension may be readily, conveniently, and safely connected to a main table to provide additional working area and, when not required, said extension may be readily disconnected from the main table and stored, as a compact unit, entirely apart from the main table.

It will be obvious to those skilled in art that the invention may, without departure from its essential attributes, be embodied in various specific forms other than that shown and described, which latter is to be considered in all respects as illustrative of the invention and not restrictive; reference being had to the appended claims rather than to the foregoing description to indicate the scope of the invention.

Having thus set forth the nature of the invention, What I claim herein is:

1. In a table extension, means for detachably securing said extension to a table having a rail, comprising a hook member secured beneath said extension adjacent one edge thereof, and a thin flat strip secured to said extension and positioned to form a lip member projecting from and flush with the top surface of said extension and coacting with said hook member to form resilient clamping means adapted to embrace the table rail, whereby a continuous planar working surface of increased area is provided.

2. In a table extension, means for detachably securing said extension to a table having an edge formed with a supporting shoulder positioned below the top surface thereof, comprising a hook member secured beneath said extension to one edge thereof, and an auxiliary top formed with a lip projecting from and flush with the top surface of said extension and coacting with said hook member to form resilient clamping means adapted to embrace the table edge, whereby a continuous planar working surface of increased area is provided.

3. In a table extension adapted to be detachably connected to a main table having a rail and a top surface positioned inwardly from and above said rail; a connecting means comprising a fiat strip secured to said extension at one edge and positioned flush with the top thereof to form a projecting lip which is adapted to overlie the main table rail, and a hook member secured to said edge and adapted to resiliently engage beneath the main table rail, whereby the fiat strip is held in intimate abutting contact with the top surface of the main table to provide a smooth unbroken working surface of increased area.

4. In a table extension adapted to be detachably secured in co-planar edge-to-edge contacting relation with a main table having a rail and a top surface positioned inwardly of and above said rail, a locking device comprising a thin metal strip secured to said extension and positioned to continuously abut one edge thereof to form a projecting lip member, and a hook member secured adjacent to said edge beneath the extension, said hook member coacting with said lip member to form resilient clamping means for embracing the main table rail whereby, when the table extension is swung about the main table rail into coplanar relation with the main table, the lip member is drawn into intimate abutting contact with the main table top to provide a continuous flush joint between the tops of the extension and the main table.

5. A sectional table comprising a. main tabletop and a rail having a horizontally disposed supporting shoulder portion positioned below the upper surface of the table-top, an extension tabletop having horizontally disposed and vertically spaced-apart lip and hook members secured adjacent one edge of said extension table-top and formed with opposed fiat surfaces adapted respectively to overlie said supporting shoulder portion and to underlie said rail, whereby said lip member is held in a position abutting the top edge and flush with the top surface of the main table.

6. A sectional table comprising a main table section having a table-top and a depending edgeportion providing a horizontally disposed supporting shoulder positioned below the upper surface of the table-top, an extension section having a top provided along one edge thereof with a lip-portion formed with a horizontally planar lower contacting surface adapted to rest upon said shoulder, thereby to support that edge of the extension table-top and to position the upper surface thereof substantially flush with the upper surface of the top of the main table, and a coupling element carried by said extension table-top and adapted to engage beneath and behind the depending edge-portion of the main table, whereby to lock said extension and main table sections against relative lateral movement.

DANIEL E. CHASON. 

